Tech companies are increasingly looking to chat apps as the next mobile gaming platform set to take off in the coming years, according to A List.

Many developers face difficulties in that, while in-app spending continues to climb, a vast majority of this revenue is going to a small pool of developers, leaving the rest with a small slice of the market to compete for. For example, in Q1 2016, 94% of US iOS App Store revenue went to the top 1% of publishers whose apps support paid or in-app purchasing, according to Sensor Tower.

The disparity in app revenue is largely the result of poor discovery in app stores, which favor publishers that have larger budgets for app marketing. Because of this, marketers are beginning to turn to messaging apps, which offer a number of advantages over app stores as a form of discovery for game developers:

Messaging apps have a massive user base. The rapid growth of chat app users is making the platforms much more attractive to developers looking for greater visibility among potential gaming users. The top four chat apps have in excess of 3 billion monthly active users. Furthermore, these chat apps are adding more features, making them even more attractive to users.

Messaging apps are among the most used apps on users' smartphones. On average, smartphone users open chat apps nine times each day, compared to two times for each traditional app on their device, according to Flurry Analytics. The higher number of sessions among chat apps gives app marketers more opportunity to reach users in-app. Messaging apps also have the added bonus of interactive features like chatbots that can engage with users more effectively than email or app stores can.

Messaging apps offer a less expensive form of app marketing via chatbots. With the increasing number of apps available for users, developers are spending more and more on acquiring loyal users, which is measured via cost per install (CPI). Although CPIs change with the market, the most recent estimate put the average CPI at $1.78 for iOS and $2.51 for Android. This means that it costs developers $2.15 per app install, on average, a number that quickly adds up. Chatbots are relatively inexpensive to build and maintain, and they can be used to reach out to users to incentivize them to download a game. For example, a chatbot might offer users a prize like virtual currency or an in-app item in exchange for downloading the game.

Advancements in artificial intelligence, coupled with the proliferation of messaging apps, are fueling the development of chatbots — software programs that use messaging as the interface through which to carry out any number of tasks, from scheduling a meeting, to reporting weather, to helping users buy a pair of shoes.

Foreseeing immense potential, businesses are starting to invest heavily in the burgeoning bot economy. A number of brands and publishers have already deployed bots on messaging and collaboration channels, including HP, 1-800-Flowers, and CNN. While the bot revolution is still in the early phase, many believe 2016 will be the year these conversational interactions take off.

Laurie Beaver, research associate for BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled a detailed report on chatbots that explores the growing and disruptive bot landscape by investigating what bots are, how businesses are leveraging them, and where they will have the biggest impact.

The report outlines the burgeoning bot ecosystem by segment, looks at companies that offer bot-enabling technology, distribution channels, and some of the key third-party bots already on offer. The report also forecasts the potential annual savings that businesses could realize if chatbots replace some of their customer service and sales reps. Finally, it compares the potential of chatbot monetization on a platform like Facebook Messenger against the iOS App Store and Google Play store.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

AI has reached a stage in which chatbots can have increasingly engaging and human conversations, allowing businesses to leverage the inexpensive and wide-reaching technology to engage with more consumers.

Chatbots are particularly well suited for mobile — perhaps more so than apps. Messaging is at the heart of the mobile experience, as the rapid adoption of chat apps demonstrates.

Chatbots could be lucrative for messaging apps and the developers who build bots for these platforms, similar to how app stores have developed into moneymaking ecosystems.

In full, the report:

Breaks down the pros and cons of chatbots.

Explains the different ways businesses can access, utilize, and distribute content via chatbots.

Forecasts the potential impact chatbots could have for businesses.

Looks at the potential barriers that could limit the growth, adoption, and use of chatbots.

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